At the heart of your home Flavel

About Us

Flavel today manufactures and distributes a huge range of gas fires. However, the Flavel company started out in a very different line of business.

Of Norman origin, the original Flavel family came over to England with William the Conqueror and lived at various periods in their history in London, Worcestershire, Leicestershire, and latterly Warwickshire.

In the mid-seventeenth century William Flavel had set up a business manufacturing gunpowder and armouries in Bilton, Warwickshire; a very prosperous operation largely due to the fact that we were often in conflict with any number of nations at any given time around this period.

In 1777 new premises were acquired in what was then a small, but rapidly growing village called Leamington, a place that would ultimately become a prosperous health resort in Regency days. Among the many inventions that were patented by the company was a vapour bath; made initially for members of the Russian aristocracy.

In 1833 the business was re-located to its present site, the Eagle Foundry, in order to take advantage of the transport benefits offered by the construction of the Grand Junction Canal which ran alongside the premises, and the branch line which was connected to the factory linking it with the Great Western Railway.

Hitherto, all transportation had been conducted by horse-drawn wagons, a hazardous business where a muzzle loader at half-cock would always have been at the ready. In it's time the Eagle Foundry was the largest manufactory of its kind in the world and over 100 employees produced more than 50 kitchen ranges of various sizes, suitable for either a cottage or a palace, each week.

It is worth noting that in the early 1800's the Eagle Foundry commanded an area that covered over 40% of the village of Leamington and that the subsequent development and prosperity of the town owes much to the foresight and endeavours of the Flavel family.

It was, however, the "Patent Kitchener" which brought the company to real prominence. The first real cooking appliance to supersede the open ‘fire and spit’, the Kitchener was displayed at the Great Exhibition held at "Crystal Palace" in 1851. Some 19,000 exhibitors were represented at the Exhibition but only 17 Prize Medals with special approbation were granted and Flavel's Kitchener received one of these; just one of numerous subsequent awards that the Company received right up to the time of the Great Paris Exhibition of 1937.

About Flavel

Flavel continued to manufacture cast-iron cooking appliances well into the 1930's and were pioneers in introducing the first appliance to be finished throughout in porcelain enamel in 1936, resulting in a further avalanche of awards from Exhibitions all over the world.

Quality had always been a major priority for the Company and it was not unusual for the firm to receive testimonials similar to this one from an architect in 1842 –

" I have recommended your Cooking Range effectually in several instances, as lately to a Colonel Barker and Mr. Robinson, and there are now two gentlemen for whom I am superintending the erection of houses, each of whom will order one of the 6 feet Kitcheners. I seek neither fee nor reward for so doing, for I think very highly of them."

Flavel’s was a privately owned Company until it was converted into a Limited Liability Company in 1902, but the Flavel family continued to oversee it's development and expansion as Directors up until 1931.

Although it was known primarily as a manufacturer of cooking appliances the Flavel factories were also commissioned at various times to assist the country at times of war, and cannonballs produced by the Company were fired at both Trafalgar and Waterloo. During both the Great War and the Second World War, the factories were used for the production of munitions and armoury.

In more peaceful times the skills of the workforce enabled them to produce ornate and highly ornamental cast iron fireplaces, firebacks and grates, many of them being specifically designed and cast for the great houses of the English aristocracy. Flavel was always recognized as being an innovative company and having had a relatively minor presence in the gas fire market in 1965 they introduced the first ever furniture fire with a wood surround - the Debonair.

About Flavel

Over the next 6 years this gas fire totally revolutionized the market and a phenomenal one and a half million were sold; a success that it is most unlikely to ever be repeated.

In more recent times the company continued to trade as Sidney Flavel and Co. until 1974 when it was absorbed into the Glynwed Group which was subsequently broken up in 1998 and the Flavel brand was transferred to Agafoodservice Group.

The heating sector of the market held little interest for Agafoodservices and the Flavel brand and property rights for all gas fires was acquired by BFM Europe (formally CFM Europe) in 2002, since which time the Flavel name has been resurrected and regenerated and has become recognized as a major and highly significant supplier of gas products to the heating market.

BSI Testing & Eco Design Compliance

All our gas fires are independently tested, approved and verified by the British Standards Institution (BSI).

The BSI is an independent organisation. They are not owned by the government, industry or shareholders, which means that they can be totally objective with regards testing and certification. This gives their assessments more authority than those of an organization that has a vested interest in promoting its members.

They have some of the most experienced and knowledgeable staff in the world and are recognised internationally for their technical expertise, quality services and in-depth knowledge of gas, electrical, oil and solid fuel product testing
and certification.

The wide-ranging capability of their testing facilities and the broad expertise and knowledge of their testing and certification staff ensures our products are rigorously tested with the utmost integrity.

BSI Testing & Eco Design Compliance

BFM Europe, as a responsible manufacturer of space heating products are committed to producing products of the highest quality, performance and energy efficiency and as such we fully embrace such initiatives as the Eco design directive Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/1188, which serve to better inform the customer of energy efficiency related information across all product sectors in our industry. Please be assured we have been continuously developing our extensive brand portfolio of products to meet the stringent requirements of these regulations and therefore we will continue to be in a position to provide customers with a market leading range of gas products.


Flavel Gas Fires 7 Year Guarantee

For your peace of mind every Flavel Gas Fire carries a 7 year* comprehensive guarantee against manufacturing & material defects, inc. parts and labour.

With the 7 Year* Guarantee for Flavel Gas Fires, BFM Europe Limited guarantees your gas fire for seven years against manufacturing and material defects, including parts and labour, subject to annual service and annual replacement of the oxy-pilot assembly (or thermocouple on balanced flue models), from the date of purchase.

BFM Europe design, manufacture and supply gas fires, electric fires and solid fuel stoves.

We are the fastest growing gas fire manufacturer in the country with an unequalled reputation for quality and service. Our success is due to a combination of an uncompromising attitude to design and manufacturing standards and an unprecedented investment in technology and personnel.

The company is based in Stoke-on-Trent with a 51,000 sq ft purpose-built plant, housing the most up-to-date manufacturing, sales, and training facilities in the industry, including the latest CNC sheet metal technology that guarantees precision engineering An experienced R&D department, constantly developing innovative products and pushing the boundaries of technology and aesthetics.


About BFM Europe


"At BFM Europe we know how important it is to create a stylish and relaxing living environment. That's why we have developed this collection of fires and stoves to suit all tastes and purposes. I believe our success stems from a combination of innovative design, investment in technology, and the highest quality manufacturing standards. This website has been designed to make the purchase of your new fire as simple as possible. I hope you find it both informative and inspiring." Michael Miller, Managing Director


We Are Different

  • British Manufacturing
  • A Purpose-Built Facility
  • Product Tested & Certified by BSI
  • Extended Manufacturer Warranties
  • Experienced Retailer Network
  • 8 Unique Brands

    Today BFM Europe design and manufacture gas fires and electric fires under eight established consumer brands - Kinder, Flavel, Verine, Global, Kohlangaz, The Collection by Michael Miller, Celsi, and Portway, with products covering a large range of heating related items.

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